Top physics prize awarded to Professor Yablonovitch

The Institute of Physics has awarded its’ highest International award – the Isaac Newton Medal and Prize – to Professor Eli Yablonovitch for his work on photonic crystals.

Professor Yablonovitch – based at the University of California, Berkeley – received the award for his “visionary and foundational contributions to photonic nanostructures”. His findings opened up the research field of photonic crystals – periodic optical nanostructures that can control the flow of light.

Professor Yablonovitch said: “I am deeply honoured, and humbled by the great distinction of the previous winners. I am most proud of catching physical insights that had been overlooked by the field, and were long overdue. It is wonderful to weave fundamental physics together with applications. Truly useful applied work must rely upon new fundamental physical understanding. I am happy to see some of those innovations in very widespread technical use.”

Photonic crystals are nanostructures that can manipulate light in the same way semiconductors can steer electrical current. Their structure consists of a band gap that allows control over the behaviour of light as it permits only some wavelengths of light to pass. In nature nanostructures have been found to aid the iridescence of certain butterfly wings and the camouflage skills of chameleons.

As a result of Professor Yablonovitch’s findings, photonic crystals are now used in quantum computation, nanoscale imaging and sensing, photovoltaics, optical interconnects, and high performance light-emitting diodes.

“Humanity needs a replacement for the transistor in information processing that can be orders of magnitude more energy efficient. Science is on the verge of recreating the entire energy system, employing ever-cheaper photovoltaic panels. This will eventually produce hydrocarbon fuels that will be competitive with fuels extracted from the ground,” added Professor Yablonovitch.